Current:Home > InvestMichael Strahan reveals his daughter's cancer diagnosis on 'Good Morning America'-InfoLens
Michael Strahan reveals his daughter's cancer diagnosis on 'Good Morning America'
View Date:2024-12-23 11:42:35
Good Morning America anchor and former NFL player Michael Strahan revealed on Thursday's show that his teenage daughter was recently diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a rare form of brain cancer.
"I'm very proud of her and she's always been strong and this is something that is so personal that I didn't know if it would be something that she'd want to share," Strahan said.
But Isabella Strahan, a 19-year-old student at the University of Southern California, decided to tell her own story to GMA's Robin Roberts.
Isabella said in September, she began experiencing extreme headaches, as well as nausea and an inability to walk straight. At first, she thought she had vertigo. But in late October, she began vomiting blood. She texted her twin sister Sophia, who informed the rest of the family. Michael Strahan then took her to the doctor.
Isabella's MRI results showed a fast-growing, four centimeter brain tumor that was larger than a golf ball. She had an emergency surgery to have the tumor removed the next day, Roberts said.
But Isabella recently rang the bell, a celebratory tradition for cancer patients who complete their radiation or chemotherapy treatment. Isabella had 30 sessions of radiation and will begin chemotherapy at Duke University in February, she said.
Isabella was in rehabilitation for a month and had to learn to walk again. Now, she says she's feeling good.
"I'm very excited for this whole process to wrap, but you just have to keep living every day, I think, through the whole thing," she said.
She has started a YouTube channel to document her journey through vlogs, or video blogs. Proceeds from the content will go to Duke's Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center.
"It's been like two months of keeping it quiet, which is definitely difficult," Isabell said.
She said she wants to be "a voice and be a person people who maybe are going through chemotherapy or radiation can look at and find something interesting about their day."
Michael Strahan said the experience has changed his perspective about his own life, and has highlighted the importance of support.
"Perspective is a big thing," Isabella said. "I'm grateful just to walk or see friends or do something, cause when you can't do something, it really impacts you."
Michael Strahan said: "I literally think that, in a lot of ways, I'm the luckiest man in the world because I got an amazing daughter, and I know she's going through it, but I know that we're never given more than we can handle, and that she is gonna crush this." He added: "I need her. I don't know what I would do without her."
For now, Isabella said she is looking forward to getting back to California and continuing her college education.
veryGood! (86154)
Related
- Disney Store's Black Friday Sale Just Started: Save an Extra 20% When You Shop Early
- Evacuations ordered for Colorado wildfire as blaze spreads near Loveland: See the map
- Lilly King barely misses podium in 100 breaststroke, but she's not done at these Olympics
- 2024 Olympics: Coco Gauff Tears Up After Controversial Call From Tennis Umpire
- Quincy Jones laid to rest at private family funeral in Los Angeles
- Researchers face funding gap in effort to study long-term health of Maui fire survivors
- Stock market today: Asian shares mostly fall ahead of central bank meetings
- Wisconsin man sentenced for threatening to shoot lawmakers if they passed a bill to arm teachers
- Why the US celebrates Veterans Day and how the holiday has changed over time
- 2024 Olympics: Gymnast Frederick Richard's Parents Deserve a Medal for Their Reaction to His Routine
Ranking
- The USDA is testing raw milk for the avian flu. Is raw milk safe?
- Heavy rain in northern Vermont leads to washed out roads and rescues
- 'Ugly': USA women's basketball 3x3 must find chemistry after losing opener
- 2024 Olympics: Gymnast Frederick Richard's Parents Deserve a Medal for Their Reaction to His Routine
- Mike Tyson-Jake Paul: How to watch the fight, time, odds
- Simone Biles and Team USA take aim at gold in the women’s gymnastics team final
- Stock market today: Asian shares mostly fall ahead of central bank meetings
- Orioles pay pretty penny for Trevor Rogers in MLB trade deadline deal with Marlins
Recommendation
-
Mariah Carey's Amazon Holiday Merch Is All I Want for Christmas—and It's Selling Out Fast!
-
Authorities announce arrests in Florida rapper Julio Foolio's shooting death
-
Arson suspect claims massive California blaze was an accident
-
UCLA ordered by judge to craft plan in support of Jewish students
-
Burger King's 'Million Dollar Whopper' finalists: How to try and vote on your favorite
-
Anthony Edwards cheers on Team USA table tennis after friendly trash talk, 'challenge' at 2024 Paris Olympics
-
Did the Olympics mock the Last Supper? Explaining Dionysus and why Christians are angry
-
A Pretty Woman Reunion, Ben Affleck's Cold Feet and a Big Payday: Secrets About Runaway Bride Revealed